Ariana Grande was a guest last Friday on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Early on in her appearance she self-deprecates while admitting "... I'm so nervous ..." (as this was her first appearance speaking on any talk show). What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis highlighting some of the singer-actress's body language.
0:09
Ariana Grand biting her nails in significant and obvious anxiety.
0:43
Prolonged Eyelid Closure and Hard Swallow just after Jimmy Fallon says, ".... I've heard you do, ah, Celine Dion ...."
Indicative of high levels of anxiety and emotional processing (These two very often occur simultaneously).
0:44
Ariana is looking down - the timing of which is indicating anxiety and possibly deception.
Brief Suppressed Mouth Smile - which suggests a prior knowledge of this "spontaneous Celine request".
0:44.5
Trace Fear-Anxiety facial expression
What are the subtle configuration changes on Ms. Grande's face which indicate this particular emotional tone?
0:48
A subtle but very characteristic Mouth of Fear
Looking Down with Mouth Covering & Nose Touch
Emotional processing of what Ariana's intellect knows - but her psyche has yet to fully grasp the significance of (Although she has pretended to be Celine many times - Ms. Grande has not done so during a talk show - especially The Tonight Show). The timing of this nose touch is highly indicative that her Celine Dion imitation was choreographed.
Ariana's impression of Celine Dion was indeed spot-on - both with her voice and her body language (1:52).
It's profoundly important to note that in the act of mirroring another person's nonverbal idiosyncrasies - the easier it's also to imitate their vocal qualities.
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3134: Ted Cruz to Announce his Candidacy for 2016 Presidential Race - Why He Will Never Win - Body Language
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2914: François Hollande, Anxiety and Dialing up his Alpha
Nonverbal Analysis No. 1820: What Causes David Beckham's Greater Anxiety - Barack Obama Teasing Him About His Age or His Underwear?
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2281: Inaugural Luncheon Anxiety Barack Obama's Body Language Michelle's Mirroring
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2831: "Walking Contest", Anxiety, Mirroring and False Intimacy
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3061: Jimmy Fallon Blew a Chance to Date Nicole Kidman
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2096: Canadian Tenors, Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) and Celine Dion
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